1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic tape device which includes a cassette loading mechanism, a tape loading mechanism and a tape feeding mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic tape devices which include a cassette loading mechanism, a tape loading mechanism and a tape feeding mechanism are already known. Part of a mechanism of an exemplary one of such conventional magnetic tape devices is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the mechanism shown is a mechanism of a digital audio tape recorder and includes a capstan motor 1 mounted on an upper face, that is, on the rear face side of FIG. 4, of a deck base 7. The capstan motor 1 has a motor shaft 2 on which a pulley 3 is securely mounted. A flywheel 4 is mounted for rotation on a lower face of the deck base 7, and a capstan 5 extends upwardly, that is, in a direction to the rear face side of FIG. 4, from the flywheel 4. A belt 6 extends between and around the flywheel 4 and the pulley 3.
A power motor 10 is mounted on the upper face of the deck base 7 and has a motor shaft 11 on which an output gear 12 is securely mounted.
A cam gear 20 is mounted for rotation around a first post 21 on the lower face of the deck base 7 and has first and second cam grooves 22 and 23 formed thereon. A first lever 24 is mounted for pivotal motion around a first support shaft 25, and a first pin 26 is mounted at an end of the first lever 24 and fitted in the first cam groove 22 of the cam gear 20. A first engaging pin 27 is mounted at the other end of the first lever 24.
A second lever 30 is mounted for pivotal motion around a second support shaft 31 on the lower face of the deck base 7, and a second pin 32 is mounted at an intermediate portion of the second lever 30 and fitted in the second cam groove 23 of the cam gear 22. A second engaging pin 33 is mounted at an end of the second lever 30 and fitted in an engaging hole 35 formed at an end portion of a movable plate 34. A guide groove 36 is formed at an intermediate portion of the movable plate 34, and a guide pin 37 is mounted on the lower face of the deck base 7 and fitted in the guide groove 36 to guide the movable plate 34 for movement in a direction indicated by an arrow mark B in FIG. 9.
In operation, when the power motor 10 is energized, the motor shaft 11 and output gear 12 are rotated, and torque of rotation of the output gear 12 is transmitted to a cassette loading mechanism not shown to move a cassette holder not shown from a cassette receiving position to a cassette playing position along an L-shaped locus not shown to set a tape cassette in its playing position in which a pair of reel receiving elements are fitted in reel holes formed in the tape cassette.
Meanwhile, when a further drive motor not shown is energized, the cam gear 20 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow mark A in FIG. 9. Upon such rotation of the cam gear 20, the first pin 26 on the first lever 24 is moved in and along the first cam groove 22 of the cam gear 20 to pivot the first lever 24 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 9 around the first support shaft 25. As a result, the reel receiving elements are braked under suitable control by a reel braking mechanism not shown which is operatively connected to the first engaging pin 27 of the first lever 24. Meanwhile, upon rotation of the cam gear 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow mark A, the second pin 32 of the second lever 30 is moved in and along the second cam groove 23 of the cam gear 20 to pivot the second lever 30 in the counterclockwise direction around the second support shaft 31. As a result, the movable plate 34 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow mark B, and a magnetic tape in the tape cassette is drawn out by way of a tape loading mechanism not shown toward a rotary drum not shown which is provided to read or write information from or onto the magnetic tape loaded in position around the rotary drum.
On the other hand, when the capstan motor 1 is energized, the capstan 5 is rotated by way of the motor shaft 2, pulley 3, belt 6 and flywheel 4, and as a result, the magnetic tape is fed by way of the tape feeding mechanism while it is held in contact with the rotary drum.
With the conventional digital audio tape recorder, the power motor 10 is used as an operation driving source for the cassette loading mechanism for moving the cassette holder and a cassette on the cassette holder between the cassette receiving position and the cassette playing position while the capstan motor 1 is used as an operation driving source for the tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape. Thus, different motors are employed individually for exclusive use. If one of the motors is eliminated, a spacing to be occupied by such motor is eliminated, and consequently, miniaturization of a magnetic tape device can be achieved and the production cost can be reduced as much.